Islamabad Court Acquits Domestic Worker in Rs 250M Theft Case

News Desk 

Islamabad: A domestic worker has been acquitted in a high-profile theft case involving an alleged Rs 250 million, after the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence.

Rukhsana Bibi, employed as a domestic worker, was accused of stealing Rs 400,000, £500,000, and Saudi Riyal 500,000 from her employer’s house in PWD. During the investigation, authorities recovered only Rs 2,000 from her possession.

Judicial Magistrate Rizwanuddin of Islamabad East accepted the acquittal plea, noting that despite repeated chances, the prosecution could not produce a single witness to substantiate the claims.

The court added that, based on the available records, even if evidence were presented later, conviction was unlikely.

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The case was originally filed in January 2024 at Loi Bher police station by resident Sajida Zahid, alleging theft of large sums including foreign currency. Advocate Habib Hanzala, representing the accused, argued that the case was false and malicious.

The court expressed skepticism over the claim, stating it was unbelievable that such large amounts of money would be kept at home and entrusted to a domestic worker. No documentary proof or statements confirmed the alleged presence of foreign currency or the theft.

The verdict emphasized that the recovered Rs 2,000 had no legal identification and the prosecution’s narrative was “highly suspicious.” 

Citing the legal principle that the benefit of doubt favors the accused, the court concluded that continuing proceedings would waste judicial resources, and Rukhsana Bibi was acquitted under Section 249A of the Criminal Procedure Code.